Train-pipe coupling.



Y H. N. MOORE. TRAIN PIPE COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 21, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

H. 'N/MOORE. TRAIN PIPE COUPLING. APPLICATION PILBD DEC. 21, 1910.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

3 SHEBTS-SHEET 2..

H. N. MOORE.

TRAIN PIPE COUPLING. 'API LIQATIoN FILED DEC. 21, 1910.

1,011,229. 5 PatentedDec.12,1911.

3 SHEBTSSHEET 3 awue ut o t UNITED, s'rnTEs PATENT ornron.

HAROLD N. MOORE, OF KEARNEY, NEBRASKA.

TRAIN-PIPE COUPLING.

Q ecification of Letters Patent.

PatentedDec. 12, 1911.

Application filed December 21, 1910. Serial No. 598,508.

automatically coupled and uncoupled without the necessity of the brakeman or other attendant going between cars for eifecting this result. t

The inventlon contemplates a coupling for the air pipe of pneumatic brake mechanism comprising similar members of novel and peculiar construction which when the cars are run together automatically couple and establish communication throughout the air pipe of the train and which when the cars are uncoupled and separated admit of the train pipe parting and the. valve mechanism of each coupling member shutting off the air to prevent escape thereof, thereby insuringpositive and certain action ofthe brakes of the car or-cars coupled to the engine.

The invention consists of the novel features, details of construction and combination of parts, which hereinafter will be-more particularly set forth, illustrated .in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of the application, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the adjacent ends of two cars having the train pipe connected by means of a coupling embodying the invention. Fig.' 2 is a top plan view of a train pipe coupling having one of the'members in central horizontalsection and showing the relation of the parts just prior to the cou-. pling of the members. Fig. 3 is a central horizontal section of the coupling showing the members in coupled'position. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of .the packing at the outer end of the coupling member for the stem of the valve. Fig. 5 is a detail .view of the guide for the inner end of the" valve stem. Fig. 6 is a view in elevation of one of the yieldable guides. .Fig. 7 IS an i end view of the guide. Fig. 8 is a view in elevation, showing the movable part of the train pipe and the supporting means therefor. Fig. 9 is a view in elevation 'of the forward portion of the train pipe. Fig. 10 1s a view similar to. Fig. 9 of therear sup port for the train pipe. I

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description, and indicated in all, the views of the drawing, by the same reference characters.

The numeral 1 designatesrthe bottom of the car or the platform of'the running gear upon which the body of the car is mounted and to which the draft-rigging, brake mechcars-is indicated at 2. They air pipe 2) is front support and yieldable plate for the.

anism, and other adjunctive parts are at tached. The coupling for connecting the located below the draft coupling and is mounted in hangers 4 and 5, said hangers being strengthened by means of stays or braces 5. The hanger- 5 has an opening through which the air pipe 3 is adapted to move longitudinally. The hanger 4' has an opening opposite which is placed a plate or disk 6 having an opening through which the pipe .3 slides, the plate or disk 6 being retained in'place by. means of a series of springs 7, thereby admittingof the forward endof 'the ai'r pipe moving freely in every direction within a limited extent. The hose pipe 8 is connected to the'rear end of the air pipe 3. Set collars 9 and 10 are secured to the airpipe 3, the set collar 10 limiting.

head 12,.which is secured to the forward end of the' air pipe 3. Thecoupling membets are of similar formation and equipped with like devices.

The outer ends of the coupling members orheads 12 slant laterally from one side to the othe'r'and-a recess 13. is formed in the slanting end near one side. The vertical side walls of the recess 13 incline in the opposite direction with reference to the length of the'coupling so as to prevent the members of thecc'uplingseparating by a direct linear movement. The outer side wall flares, as

indicated at 14,'so as to engage the beveled end 15 of the companion member and press the same laterally when the coupling memhere are moved together. Each member has a portion at the end remote from therecess 13 v as" '20 and the amount of the rod 21 projecting bebeveled, as indicated at 15, for the two-fold v purpose of riding- -upon the flared", wall 14: of the companion member and to, cooperate with a yieldable guide 16, whereby the memv the recess 13 to insure a tight joint between the two openings or passages of the members -.of the coupling when pressed together.

A11 annular shoulder 19 is formed within 'theopening or passage of thehead 12 and QOIlSt1tllteS aseat for a valve 20, which is 20,mounted upon a rod 21 slidably mounted within the member 12 and havingits forward end projecting beyond the inner 'or' "rear wall of the recess 13 so astovbe engaged F by the mating coupling member when the palrts of the coupling are pressed to ether.

' longitudinally within the front portion of the head 12 and within a guide 22 located .within the rea portion r the head, said guide consistingof a plate or disk secured opening-to receive the rear end of the valve .rod 212 and having otherppeningsfor the !alve;- and guide 22 and serves normally 'to hold theyalve 20, closed on it s' seat 19. .Thevalve;2Disfconnected to the rod-21 by" .lmeans of-,-a"screwthread, thereby admitting of regulating the tension "of the spring 23 yond the .end of the head or member 12. Suitablepatching v2 1 is fitted in the opening in' the forward end of the head 12 to insure a-tight "joint between the rod 21 and the member-12. Y

Each member er n edle has a guide 16.

- oneside'adjacenti the re cess-13fand projecting'iforwardly from the slanting end of the head and this guide is located at the rear end of the .sle'nt and inclined slightly so that its forward end will engage the beveled end -15 of the companion coupling member when bringing the,-same together in the act of coupling the air-pipes, as when running two cars together. A flat-spring 25 is secured at one end to the guide16 and atits opposite endto-the member 12. The spring 25 has an outer'crimp, 26 near its juncture with the guide 16 soas to facilitate the lateral movement of the guide, without endangering the spring to the extent of a straight spring: The guide 16 consists of a plate which gradf 1ually"widensfrom its rearto out'er'or Q 5 forward end, said plate having longitudinal The rod 21 is mounted in an opening formed within themember 12 and having a central I f'passa-ge of the air. A spring 23 is mounted upon the rod, 21 and confined between the" flanges 27 at its upperand lower edges to engage the upper and lower sides of the companion coupling member to insure proper matching when the members are coupling so that the openings of the members will register.

The members of the train pipeqcoupling project beyondthe draft coupling so as to engage in advance of couplings of the drawbars of the draft mechanism. As the cars are run together the outer ends of the guides 16 engage'the beveled ends 15 of the coupling members and press the same-laterally and at the same time move the coupling members .1 12" into vertical alinement, the

latter result being effected by the forward flare of the longitudinal flanges 27. As the slanting ends of the members ,12,come together the projectingend of oneenters the recessed end of the other and the rods 21 are pressed inward, thereby unseating the valves 20,; so that communication is established between the membersof the coupling,

thereby connecting, the air pipes of adjacent cars. As the members of theftrainlflpipe COUPliHg are pressed together the springs 11 are com-pressed and as long as the cars remain coupled the members of'the train pipe -or air brake pipe arepressed together by means of the springs 11, the members being held in' ali-nement by means of the guides '16 which embracethe-top, bottom and outer sides ofthe members of the air pipe coupling. ,lVhen the cars are uncoupled the stops. 10 on the, train pipes 3 coming in con- 1 tact with the hangers 5 pull the members 12 apart, the same separating by a combined I longitudinal and lateral mover'nent. As the members 12 separatethe-yalves 20automati- 'cally close. The lateral} movement of the members 12 is brought about when separating the same by the i-nnerlongitudinally in-' clined. side walls of the recesses 13 riding the oneupon the other, as will be readily understood. ,1 j

From the foregoing description, taken in connect-ion with .;the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the 'onstruction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled .in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described thepriri'ciple of operation of the invention, together with the device which I now consider to be the embodiment thereof,

I desire to have it understood that'the device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

' Having thus described thefinvention what is claimed as new, is

1. A train pipe coupling comprising similar -membe'rsjeach having a mating recess and a projection at its forward end and having the inner walls oftherecesses under cut tointerlock and the outer walls flared and having longitudinal openings which extend through the inner walls of the recesses.

2. In atrain pipe coupling, the combina- 15 tion of a supporting framework, longitudinally spaced hangers, the forward hanger having an opening, a plate mount/ed upon the forward hanger, springs yieldingly connecting said plate to the hanger, an air pipe l o'mounted in the rear 'han er and in the spring supported plate of t e front hanger,

' .a s'topmounted upon the air pipe and adaptj L. HAND, H. G. REITER. 

